Special Certifications and Training

Special Training and certifications are a series of programs that are tailored for your age groups and skill level!

US Fighting Systems offers more than 50 hands on and face to face programs for the martial artist, civilian, corporate executive or anyone serious interested in learning the techniques and tactics to safe their life. To learn about our on-line programs, click on a link to access a description in PDF format.

Empty Hand Tactics Program

1. Introduction to Intervention Options – This is the first of the empty hand tactics series explaining the need for learning personal defense tactics for real world attacks and help in the understanding of the legal obligations and responsibilities involved when saving your life is a must!

1. Introduction to Personal Defense
2. Zones of Approach and Escape
3. Intervention Options
4. Do’s and don’ts

1. Falls and Transitions – In any fight or attack falling is not only possible but inevitable and not being prepared to fall, or learning how to fall with things in your hands could not only seriously injure you but could cost you your life! Learn how to fall safely without injury and gain the position of advantage!

1. Points of contact for Front Falls with and without things in your hands
2. Points of contact for Rear Falls with and without things in your hands
3. Points of contact for Right Side Falls with and without things in your hands
4. Points of contact for Left Side Falls with and without things in your hands

1. Defense Positions and Movement– No matter where you may be standing, kneeling or on the ground your defense positions should protect you not only from what you can see but from what you cannot see. Learn how to move, evade and protect yourself and use your environment around you!

1. Standing Positions and movement with and without weapons
2. Kneeling/Sitting Positions and movement with and without weapons
3. Ground Defense and Ground Guard Positions and movement with and without weapons
4. Prone Positions and movement with and without weapons

1. Controlling the Attacker – The goal of any person being attacked is to escape from the attack, however you may be too exhausted, injured or unable to defend yourself anymore and the need for physically stabilization, controlling or restraining your attacker is necessary!

1. Introduction to the hinge control
2. Body Compression Tactics
3. Stabilization
4. Restraining

1. Escapes from Grips and Grabs – Every attack comes from dangerous strikes to eh body and if the fight doesn’t start with the punch then it usually ends with one. Being grabbed is common and could be seriously dangerous. Learn how to escape from common grip, grabs and other body holds!

1. Escapes from Finger, Hand and Wrist Grabs
2. Escapes from Arm and Shoulder Grabs
3. Escapes from Body Holds
4. Escapes form Head holds

1. Grappling Positions – In real world attacks we encounter learning how to protect your face, your throat and other items you may be carrying is vital. We never know the skill level of the attacker and being in close quarters are deadly. Learn how to control the distance and win!

1. Full and Partial Grappling positions
2. Movement/Redirecting/Throws and Escaping
3. Striking tactics from the Grappling position
4. Force options and Controlling the Distance

1. Counter Combative Tactics – In a fight you have two options; you can either be the puncher or the person absorbing the punches. If you do not put the attacker on the defense in the first 15 seconds it could cost you your life. Learn how to counter the attack and work within your own physical and emotional limitations!

1. Close Quarter Engagement Tactics
2. Blocking/Striking Defending
3. Closing and Finishing Tactics
4. Explaining, justification testifying

1. Choke Awareness and Escapes – Being strangled, smothered, suffocated or choked are one of the top fears in today’s society and closely associated with the possibility of being killed. Learn how to prepare, defense and counter these dangerous chokes and win against this attack. Remember you only get one shot at the title!

1. Choke awareness and terminology
2. Chokes defense for 1-2 Hand chokes
3. Choke Defense for Forearm and Lapel Chokes
4. Choke Defense for Rear chokes

1. Deadly Force Options – Making the decision to kill another person is not only one of the most horrific things you might have to do but the ramifications could last years and the emotional trauma the rest of your life. Learn the legalities and field proven tactics that have kept us alive for nearly a century!

1. Understanding intervention options
2. Escaping and Defending attacks
3. Understanding the use and explanations of using weather
4. Deadly Force Options

1. Introduction to the Shoulder Lock – The shoulder lock is a technique that does not block the air flow or blood circulation when applied unless the person applying it increases their pressure. Learn how to apply, compress, and control the attacker when escaping is not possible or an option!

1. Upper Body Control/Angle of Application
2. Standing and Ground Control
3. Levels of compression
4. Force options and the shoulder lock

1. Firearm Disarming Tactics – The firearm is called the “American Martial Art,” and looking down the other end of the barrel of a firearm is not only scary but ultimately if not handle correctly could get you killed.       Learn field proven disarming tactics that I have personally used and have trained thousands of professionals. You will learn how to quickly disarm the firearm, control the weapon and various deployment strategies.

1. Dangers of Firearm Disarming
2. Standing front/Side/Rear Disarming tactics
3. Ground Firearm Disarming tactics
4. Survival Tactics for Firearm Disarming

1. Surviving Knife Attacks– Knives are one of the most carried and used weapons in toady society; inside various cultures the knife is a common every day tool, and in the hands of a trained or even untrained attacker is deadly. Learn field proven tactics that I have personally used and have trained thousands of professionals to deploy which have kept them alive!

1. Understanding Knife Attacks
2. Awareness and Avoidance Tactics
3. Defending and Controlling
4. Force options and survival tactics

1. Tactics for Multiple Attackers – Being attacked by one attacker is scary enough never mind by two or more, learn how to move, strike, and engage these violent attacks and how to defend yourself when everything else goes wrong!

1. Understanding the dynamic of the “Wolf Pack”
2. Strategies for Engaging multiple attackers
3. Attacking/Movement/Engaging/Neutralizing – A.M.E.N. principle
4. Force options for multiple attackers

1. Protective Suit 101 – In order to validate your techniques, evaluate your own skills, and ensure you are battle ready to win against a real world attacker using protective gear is not only necessary but training without still leaves your training on paper and in theory! Learn how to select, use and maintain protective gear and what the best is for you!

1. Purpose and Selecting the right suit for you
2. Medical and safety Factors when using ANY Protective Gear
3. Protective Suit Orientation
4. Taking the hits without injury

1. Simulator Training – According to Retired Colonel Dave Grossman, author of On Killing and On Combat and Dr. Bill Lewinsky from the Force Science Center training without stress inoculation is merely going through the motions and does not prepare the person for what they will really do in an attack. Learn how to conduct these real world base simulations without spending thousands of dollars or unnecessary injuries.

1. Importance and Use of Safety Coaches
2. Developing and Scripting Simulations
3. Role Players, Use of Props and Other Equipment
4. Conducting low, high and dynamic simulations

Ground Survival Tactics

1. Introduction and Defense Against Take Downs – Awareness and Avoidance are the first basic things to know when in a ground attack. Defending against the take down and ensuring you maintain the position of advantage will save your life!
   1. Ground Awareness and Avoidance Tactics
   2. Establishing the position of advantage on the ground
   3. Managing Distance and Positioning
   4. Survival Force Options
2. Ground Falls and Blocking the Mount – You could be exhausted, injured and unable to defend yourself and going to the ground is enviable. Falling wrong could inhibit your own abilities to protect yourself. Learn how to fall correctly in many types of environments and stop the attacker from getting on top of you!

1. Front Falls with and without things in your hands – Blocking the mount
2. Rear Falls with and without things in your hands– Blocking the mount
3. Right Side Falls with and without things in your hands– Blocking the mount
4. Left Side Falls with and without things in your hands– Blocking the mount

3. Ground Escapes – Mounted and Ground Guard – No matter if they are smaller or bigger then you not being able to escape from a ground attack will cost you your life. Learn field proven tactics for escaping, defending and protecting yourself either in the mount or ground guard position!
   1. Front Mount Escapes
   2. Front Mount Force Options
   3. Ground Guard Escapes
   4. Ground Guard Force Options

4. Ground Rest Positions – Mounted and Ground Guard – You are unable to get away, you are being hit in the face, head, and body area, and you are tired, injured or unable to escape from the attacker. Learn how to protect your face, throat and vital areas of your body and win the attack!
   1. Mounted Rest Positions
   2. Mounted Force Options
   3. Ground Guard Rest Positions
   4. Ground Guard Force Options
5. Ground Force Options – Kicking, biting and scratching are able common responses when you are unable to get away from an attack, and in many situation they will work. However what if they don’t. Learn field proven tactics on the application and justification of applying deadly force and what weapons and tactics are available to you!
   1. Stalls and Compression Tactics
   2. Escapes and Releases
   3. Neck Restraints and Submission Tactics
   4. Deadly Force Options
6. Ground Blocking and Striking – The ole saying for everyone you block it is two you end up eating. This math is unacceptable and learning how to effectively block, doge, cover and what strikes will work the best of you is so important without these tactics you could lose your life!
   1. Mounted Shielding/Covering and Blocking Tactics
   2. Mounted Striking Tactics
   3. Ground Guard Shielding/Covering and Blocking Tactics
   4. Ground Guard Striking Tactics
7. Ground Firearm Disarming Tactics – WOW, what a thought, you are fighting and end up on the ground, obviously your tactics are not working and now you are looking down the wrong end of the barrel of a firearm. Learn field proven tactics that have worked for us for over and over again!
   1. Front Mount Firearm Disarming Tactics
   2. Front Mount Force Options with weapons
   3. Ground Guard Firearm Disarming Tactics
   4. Ground Guard Force Options with weapons
8. Ground Knife Defense Tactics – Being stabbed is bloody, sometimes painful and very gory for some – not to mention if you are cut with a knife more than likely it is your own blood you are seeing. Well do not worry being cut is only part of the attack, being dead is permanent. Learn field proven methods on how to take the first cut and then win against your attacker!
   1. Front Mount Knife Disarming Tactics
   2. Front Mount Force Options with weapons
   3. Ground Guard Knife Disarming Tactics
   4. Ground Guard Force Options with weapons
9. Ground Awareness and Choke Defense – You are fighting to get away from a ground attack and you feel laboured breathing, or starting to experience blurry vision either way it is a bad feeling, and if you are feeling these signs and symptoms then you are in a very bad position and death may closely follow. Learn field proven tactics for defending against the choke, protecting the airway and winning against these dangerous attacks!

1. Choke awareness and terminology
2. Chokes defense for 1-2 Hand chokes
3. Choke Defense for Forearm and Lapel Chokes

1. Choke Defense for Rear/Triangles and Arm chokes

14. Use of Bags, Props and training tools – Training can only go so far with walk through, touch drills and no contact exercise. Without the right use and gear you will never take your training to gain the survival level of proficiency needed to win in a real world based attack!
    1. Purpose and Use of Striking Shields
    2. Purpose and Use of Focus Mitts
    3. Purpose and Use of Safety Equipment
    4. Purpose of combining drills and related exercises
15. Simulator Training – According to Retired Colonel Dave Grossman, author of On Killing and On Combat and Dr. Bill Lewinsky from the Force Science Center training without stress inoculation is merely going through the motions and does not prepare the person for what they will really do in an attack. Learn how to conduct these real world base simulations without spending thousands of dollars or unnecessary injuries.
    1. How to develop and conduct low level simulations
    2. How to develop and conduct high level simulations
    3. How to develop and conduct dynamic level simulations
    4. How to evaluate yourself and build improvement

Survival Seminars

1. Woman Awareness Survival Program – WASP™ – We understand that women do not have the same strength or build as their attack(s); we will teach you methods that are field tested and proven to work. We will address how to use your environment, hands, feet and other weapons that are readily available and we will cover verbalization and threat assessment tactics, how to face your attacker with confidence, courage and most importantly with a PLAN!
   1. Awareness strategies
   2. Avoidance Tactics
   3. Developing a personal response plan
   4. Winning the attack
2. Survival Aggressive and Response Training for Young Adults – SMART – This program was designed for young adults and youths starting at ages 9-17 in the personal awareness issues of young adults. We will discuss the individual’s growth and enhancing communicational skills, and the personal development methods to break down the barriers facing aggression, violence at school and in the home environment, establishing individual goals and working with our young This program concentrates on bridging the gaps and obstacles which make this connection impossible for some by reaching out to the each one individually from a true life learning experience bring together vital information in which they can connect with.
   1. Developing communications skills
   2. Non-Verbal Communications
   3. How to confront danger
   4. Developing a plan to win!
3. Survival Aggressive and Response Training for Young Parents – SMART – Understanding that raising a child is one of the most important things in our lives and that no one is born with the skills and talents needed to make this as painless as possible. I speak from experience having 6 of my own, five boys and a girl. Poverty, literacy, abandonment, drugs, violence, suicide, internet resources, physical, mental and sexual abuse and alcohol are all usually all known factors your children have to face on a daily basis, and these are most often responsible for the breaking down of communication, along with culture differences, religious beliefs, or not having a true understanding of the living situations our children are faced with which in many ways prohibiting their personal growth and hinder their learning process.
   1. Developing communications skills for child
   2. How to read Non-Verbal Communications of your child
   3. Confrontation tactics when escaping is not an option
   4. Developing a plan to win keeping you and your children alive
4. Survival Aggressive and Response Training for Teachers – SMART – This training program was designed to enhance the professional growth and enhancing communication skills needed, and the personal development methods to break down the barriers facing these unique attacks, aggression, violence at school and in the home environment, establishing personal goals and working with your young adults who are misguided, troubled, and truly seek out a mentor or professional guide. This program concentrates on providing you with a plan of action during these terrible critical and horrific attacks and how to manage information from students to which make this response successful. We will address the “Face the danger,” concept and principal.
   1. Developing communications skills for threats and danger
   2. How to read Non-Verbal Communications
   3. How to confront the threat when escaping is not an option
   4. Developing a plan to win keeping you and your students alive

5. Surviving as a Hostage – You are caught off guard and surprised, you are out numbers, you are tied up, blind folded and placed in a room. Yes, your right not a good place to be; learn how to protect yourself, stay calm and emotionally rational, control your breathing and maintain good blood circulation and in the end get through this and win even as a hostage!
   1. Developing your mind set
   2. Controlling your Breathing, Circulation and managing your trauma
   3. Survival Tactics for living through torture
   4. Preparing and executing the escape
6. Personal Awareness and Survival Training – Being aware of your surroundings, knowing who is around you and where you are going WILL save your live. This program is designed to educate develop and share the techniques and tactics preparing you for a life threatening situations no matter where you may be; sitting at home, shopping in the mall, sitting at home or sleeping in your own bed. Having a personal reaction plan for these situations if you are alone or with your family is critical for winning against any type of attack. This course fully addresses all personal, family and home defense tactics, how to quickly conduct safety assessments and avoidance tactics and learn to work within your own physical and mental limitations within a force continuum.
   1. Knowing your surroundings
   2. Escape routes and threat assessments
   3. Developing your emergency reaction plan
   4. Winning within your own physical limitations
7. Water Safety Training – This program is designed to evaluate, test and prepare you for a life threatening situation in and around a water conditioned area. This is a Basic course designed specifically to lay the basic foundation for swimming, and water survival skills that will keep you alive if you were every grabbed, forced under the water or attacked in the water. This course fully addresses all aspects of water safety, water rescues, and handling water combative within a force continuum.
   1. Breathing and water control and positioning
   2. Escapes from grips, grabs in the water
   3. Engaging your threat
   4. Force Options
8. Surviving an Home Invasion – Your sitting at home and all of a sudden you hear a knock on the door or the doorbell ring; when you answer it the door is forced open and 2 strangers invade and force themselves into your home. Learn how to conduct a home safety check, and develop an emergency respond plan for you and your family. Learn what weapons you could and should have in your home.
   1. Safety Proofing your home
   2. Escapes routes and Engagement Routes
   3. Defending your home
   4. Handling home invaders
9. Surviving the Car Jacking – You are stopped at the stop light in your own neighbourhood when you suddenly hear a tapping sound on the driver’s side window; where you see a person with a gun at your car door; learn what to say, what to do and other life saving tips to keep you alive!
   1. Surveying your area
   2. Confronting the jacker
   3. Preparing a plan with family or alone
   4. Winning against the car jacker
10. Surviving the Robbery – In today’s society things are hard, loss of jobs from layoffs, companies closing and depression setting in. We will address all of the most common situations where being robbed could happen to you. Learn how to respond, what to say and how to win these attacks!
    1. Conducting area and threat assessments
    2. Parking lot and ATM robberies
    3. Dealing with various weapon threats
    4. Tactics for winning the robbery

Special Weapons Programs

1. Stick and Baton Training – You have an impact weapon in your hands and you are being attacked – you have either dropped it, throw if far away use it if your life depends on it. Then when you do you use this impact weapon to block, stabilize, defend or strike the attacker you may have to escalate your level of force. Now you have to explain this to the police in a statement and in court for either your civil or criminal defense. I have used impact weapons since 1980 that is the time you realize what you were taught either is helping you or hurting you. Learn how to select, deploy, articulate and defend yourself in the street and in the courtroom!
   1. The truths, myths and realities of impact weapon for defense
   2. Selection, Grips and deployment strategies
   3. How to carry, block, stability, escort, restrain, strike and defend yourself
   4. Documentation methods, medical and legal concerns
2. Chemical Aerosol Projectors (Pepper Spray) – You have a can of peppery spray and are being attacked – you have either dropped it, leave it in your purse, or unable to find it when you need it the most. Then when you do you Spray the attacker and then pray they stop and go down. Wrong that is not what will happen. I have used pepper spray since the FBI first issued it to their field agents and it NEVER works like that. Learn how to select, deploy and even decontaminate yourself because when you do spray – you will get some too!
   1. The truths, myths and realities of using pepper spray
   2. Spray Patterns and effectiveness
   3. Deployment strategies
   4. Decontamination methods, medical and legal concerns
3. Edged Weapons Training – You have an Edged Weapons and you are being attacked – you have either dropped it, leave it in your purse, or unable to find it when you need it the most. Then when you do you deploy it either injuring yourself or not getting the desired result you intended on the attacker, or it is taken away and used against you. I have edged weapons for personal protection since 1980 and without the proper training you will either hurt yourself or not get the desired response from your attacker and then have to explain everything in court after you do. Learn how to select, deploy, articulate and document your actions for your defense in court!
   1. The truths, myths and realities of using edged weapons
   2. Grips, handling and defense strategies
   3. Deployment options and target areas
   4. Documentation and, medical and legal concerns